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There are a lot of reasons the Department of Veterans Affairs has a huge backlog of disability claims. One is the vast number of new claims VA receives: about a million per year. A second is the sheer complexity of the process and the statutes and case law behind it. VA seems to be acknowledging the complexity of the system in a new partnership it's just formed with the American Bar Association. The new Veterans Claims Assistance Network will offer pro-bono legal services to veterans so that they can put together fully-developed claims. Jim Silkenat is the national president of the American Bar Association. He explained how the program will work on In Depth with guest host Jared Serbu.

Federal courts are using money from filing fees and long-term appropriations to stay open during the shutdown, but that money is about to run out. Jim Silkenat, American Bar Association president, says Congress needs to pass a budget that addresses the costs of the shutdown and sequestration.